Marketing and advertising workaholics beware; while you may think you are showing your dedication to the cause, going above and beyond the call of duty not only leads to relationship issues and burnout but it can also have a negative impact on your morality.
That is according to a new study led by Aston University and University of Leipzig scholars and published in the Journal of Organisational Behaviour, which also reveals workaholism can interfere with moral self-regulation and subsequent ethical behaviour, particularly in organisations that prioritise bottom-line results and self-interest.
The findings come from two surveys into workplace behaviour by an international team of researchers, led by Professor Roberta Fida (Aston University) and Dr Michael Knoll (University of Leipzig) and funded by INAIL (the Italian National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work).
They gathered responses from employees in the UK (1,046 people) and Italy (505 people) over three different points in time. Their findings show that being a workaholic can cause people to become less engaged with their moral values. This makes them less likely to speak up about ethical problems they notice at work and more likely to stay silent, even when they see something wrong.
The research draws on Bandura’s social cognitive theory of morality, which suggests that moral behaviour is regulated by personal standards and social norms.
The researchers found that moral disengagement acts as a critical mediator between workaholism and employee silence or moral voice. Workaholism increases tendencies to morally disengage which, in turn, led to less moral voice and more employee silence.
Another finding surrounded the role of the organisational context. The second study revealed that a perceived climate of self-interest, where employees believe that individual gain is prioritised over other values such as norms or collective welfare, amplifies the negative effects of workaholism. In these environments, workaholics were even more prone to morally disengage, further diminishing their likelihood of addressing ethical issues.
Aston University professor of organisational behaviour and organisational psychology Roberta Fida said: “We often think of workaholism as a personal struggle or even a badge of dedication, but our research shows it has far-reaching consequences.
“Workaholics, focused intensely on task completion and personal achievement, tend to disengage from their moral standards.
“This leads them to rationalise silence in the face of unethical practices, which can preserve behaviours and practices that are potentially damaging to organisations and society at large.
“Our findings highlight the critical need for organisations to rethink their workplace cultures, particularly in sectors where bottom-line mentalities dominate. When workaholism and a self-interested culture converge, the result isn’t just burnout – it’s a systemic erosion of ethical standards.”
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